Mobile device applications (apps) may engage in various tasks, and collect and report information from an endpoint device without the knowledge of the user or in a manner that is not apparent to the user. Data usage can occur when the application in the background or even in the foreground, as is found in many “free” apps that engage in constant advertisement delivery, and/or constant tracking and reporting of device usage. Applications may also consume more data than the user initially intended. The true intentions of an application may be buried deep in the legalese of the customer licensing and warranty agreements as the user is downloading the application. Most user simply click “I Agree” without fully understanding the background data that the application will use to track device usage and send tracking information to 3rd party data collectors. For the user, the extra “hidden” data usage causes battery drain, memory congestion, bandwidth consumption, and usage of data, e.g., a monthly cellular data allotment that could be allocated to other intended purposes.